The Consoling with Pastor Ben Carruthers

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Five people stand near Jesus as he suffers on the cross, and that detail changes how I read John 19. While so many disappear into fear, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Salome, Mary the wife of Clopas, and John stay close enough to be counted. That’s not just courage. It’s a picture of Christian community being formed in real time, where love is stronger than reputation, comfort, or self-protection.

We walk through who each person is and what their presence says about discipleship. Mary of Clopas is almost unknown, yet she shows up. Salome has a history of misunderstanding Jesus, yet she refuses to abandon him. Mary Magdalene carries a story of healing and transformation that helps us name the way oppression and shame can crush a life until Jesus restores it. John, likely young, stays when the other disciples run, and Jesus entrusts him with Mary’s care, creating family through faithfulness.

Then we bring it home to the loneliness epidemic. Even with constant digital connection, isolation is rising, with serious effects on mental health and physical health, and kids are often hit the hardest. The question becomes painfully practical: who is your community when you’re broken, confused, grieving, or celebrating? And if you don’t have one, what step can you take today to start building it through the church, small groups, and consistent relationships.

If this message challenges you, share it with a friend who needs real support, subscribe for more from Journey to the Cross, and leave a review so more people can find a path from loneliness to community.

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